


The Uncelebrated One

by MyOwnSuperintendent



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Past Abortion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyOwnSuperintendent/pseuds/MyOwnSuperintendent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Catelyn announces her first pregnancy, Lysa compares their father's reaction to the way he reacted to hers, back when she was in high school--and she sees it as just another sign of who the better-loved sister is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Uncelebrated One

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire or anything related to it. Hope you enjoy!

The two of them have been touching hands and giving each other little looks all evening.  It’s almost enough to put you off your food,  Lysa thinks, poking at her lasagna.  She’s so irritated with them that she turns away and listens to Edmure, even though he’s been going on and on about his new car, which can’t exactly be called interesting.

Truthfully, she’d just as soon not be here anyway.  But her father took advantage of Edmure’s being home from college for the summer to invite her and Cat home too, saying that he didn’t get to see all of them together often enough.  He even paid for them to fly out, and she thought that it would be easier just to come than to deal with everyone asking her why she didn’t.  So here she is, listening to Edmure talk about his car and watching Cat and Ned exchange looks that are frankly unnecessary for people who’ve already been married for six months.

Edmure’s still talking.  “All right, Edmure.  I think we all get the idea,” her father says.  He’s smiling as he says it, though, and his voice is fond when he adds, “Let’s give someone else a chance to talk.”  He turns to Cat and Ned then.  “Any exciting news from up north?”

Cat smiles.  “Actually,” she says, “we do have some news.”  She looks at Ned then, and he squeezes her hand, and Lysa knows what she’s going to say even before she says it.  “I’m pregnant.”

It isn’t as if Lysa never thought about this possibility, but she never realized quite how much it would hurt.  It is not the fact of Cat’s pregnancy that is the real problem, nor is it the way that she and Ned smile at each other now.  What hurts so deeply is the way her father’s face lights up.  “Are you really?” he asks, and when Cat nods, he leans over to embrace her.  “That’s wonderful news.”

_She certainly didn’t get that smile or that embrace seven years ago, and her father plainly saw it all as the furthest thing from wonderful news.  “What were you thinking, Lysa?” he asked._

“My little Cat,” her father says now.  “I can hardly believe that you’re old enough to be a mother.”

_“You are much too young for this,” he said.  “You are nowhere near old enough or mature enough to raise a child.  Do you think I want you to throw away your future?”_

“When is the baby due?” he asks, and Cat smiles a wide, incredibly happy smile and tells him November.  “If there’s anything the two of you need,” he says, “to help you get ready or once the baby’s here, please let me know.  Any help you need.”

_He wanted to help Lysa too, but it was a very different sort of help.  “We’ll take care of this,” he said.  “You made a mistake, Lysa, but it doesn’t have to ruin your life.”  He did everything—made the appointment, drove her there and picked her up.  He paid for it, just like he did with this stupid plane ticket.  She told him that she didn’t want to do it—she wanted to have the baby, she wanted to be a mother, she wanted to be with Petyr—but it didn’t make any difference.  He seemed convinced that he was doing what was best, but she never felt that way._

He is shaking Ned’s hand, congratulating him as well. 

_When she thought it was all over—the baby was gone—and she cornered Petyr after what seemed like weeks of him avoiding her, she found out that there was more that her father had done.  “He told me to stay away from you,” Petyr told her, and when she told him that she didn’t care what her father said, she wanted to be with him, he shook his head and said, “We shouldn’t even be talking now, Lysa.  You’ll get in trouble.  I wouldn’t want to do that to you.”_

“I’m so proud,” her father says.  “My first grandchild.”

But there would have been another grandchild—her child would have been the first.  And he wasn’t proud of that one at all.  He made her keep that one a secret, both before and after it was gone.  She wants to scream at him right now, to ask him why he did that to her, but she is afraid.  He might say that it was because she was only seventeen, still in high school, unmarried, and perhaps she could stand that.  But he might say that it was because that was her and this is Cat, Cat who has always been special to him, and she could not bear to hear him say it.

So she does not scream at him.  When Edmure grins and congratulates Cat, she knows that it is her turn to speak, to say something that sounds normal.  “Congratulations,” she says, pressing a smile onto her face.  “I’m so happy for both of you.” 

If her voice sounds harsh and funny and her smile is unsteady, nobody seems to notice.  And when Lysa thinks about it, this really comes as no surprise.   


End file.
